Just A Dream
by obsessivelyfanaticgw09
Summary: What if you woke up tomorrow morning and your family, your house, your whole life, was like it was 6 six years ago. And everything you thought happened in the last six years, was just a dream. Would you believe it to be just a dream? Or something more?
1. CH1 Rude awakenings

**Ok, this isn't my first fan fiction, but it is my first on this site!**

**So basically this story is based on the fact that most of the 4****th**** season and all of the 5****th**** season was a dream**

**(which I don't think it is, but it was sure fun to write about!)**

**I recommend you watch the ghost whisperer episode **_**Imaginary Friends and Enemies **_**before you read my fanfic, because a lot of the scenes in my story are from the actual episode. Those scenes I do not own, in fact I don't own any of ghost whisperer.**

**Well enjoy!**

**Melinda wakes up, not knowing that nothings like it was when she went to sleep "last night"**

Melinda blinks a few times and opens her eyes completely. She yawns and sits up in her bed. Sun streams into the room. Jim was at work, it was an early morning for him. But he liked being a doctor and the hours were stable, so he could be home tonight and be with Melinda and Aiden. She glances over at the clock and is surprised at how late Aiden has let her sleep in.

As she stands up, she notices something off. Like maybe the furniture was moved around or something. Something was just plain out of the ordinary. She glances around for a ghost and, after not seeing any, brushes the feeling off.

She walks down the hallway and opens the door to Aiden's bedroom, and screams. Soon Jim comes rushing up the stairs. He turns the corner to see Melinda. She is standing in the doorway with her back to him.

**Jim**- Mel? What is it?

There is something different about Jim's voice, but Melinda ignores it and focuses on the problem at hand.

**Mel**- Aiden's room! What, What happened to the carpet?! All his toys?! His bed?! Aiden! Where is _he?!_

Melinda turns around and gasps at what she sees

**Mel**- JIM!! You're JIM!!

She runs over and hugs him

**Jim**- Uh, yes. I'm uh, Jim. I'm me....

Melinda hugs him longer, loving the feeling of her head on his chest. Loving being able to hear his heartbeat. She got lost in his arms for a second.

**Jim**- Uh, Melinda? What's up?

She snaps out of it.

**Mel**- What the heck is going on?!

She steps away from him and looked him over. He was Jim. Tall, black haired, blue eyed Jim. He even had his paramedic uniform on. Jim, not Sam, not Sam at all.

**Mel**- But, but... Sam and Aiden and Carl and… and the book, but...but...

Melinda walks back into the bedroom and sits down on the bed. Jim follows and sits next to her.

**Jim**- Shhh, it was just a dream.

**Mel**- Just a dream!? No way! This was waaaaay too real.

**Jim**- Well? What happened in your dream?

Melinda pauses for a second. She looks down.

**Mel**- You died.

**Jim**- I died?

Melinda nods.

**Mel**- After the wedding was canceled... wait? What day is it?

**Jim**- November 5th.

**Mel**- What year?

**Jim**- 2008, are you ok Mel?

**Mel**- But uh,

**Jim**- Mel, it was just a dream, its ok.

Melinda stands up.

**Mel**- No! No! No! This was real! I mean, we went to the lake-house and the wedding was canceled...

**Jim**- What wedding? Hunters and Trisha's? We're leaving for their lake-house this afternoon.

**Mel**- What?! Oh my gosh, this is crazy

Melinda sits back down.

**Jim**- Well, who's Sam and Aiden and Carl? You mentioned them earlier?

**Mel**- Well...

Melinda paused remembering Carl, the watcher, who had told her about Aiden's power. That was all a dream?

**Mel**- Well, Carl helped me...

Jim cuts her off.

**Jim**- Carl? Carl who? Carl Neely? My cop friend?

Melinda looks down.

**Mel**- No, Carl Neely was the one who shot you.

**Jim**- Well, that sucks.

**Mel**- But it was an accident! All he saw was your silhouette , and he thought you were Hunter.

**Jim**- He wanted to shoot Hunter? Why?

**Mel**- Cause he's a big fake!

**Jim**- Well, I'm confused.

**Mel**- It's a long story.

**Jim**- Well tell me, just a little bit before I have to go to work.

Melinda sighs.

**Jim**- Ok, who was Carl, Aiden, and Sam?

**Mel**- Well, to be blunt, Carl was a watcher, Aiden was our son and Sam was, well you.

**Jim**- Ok, that just makes me more confused.

Melinda sighs again.

**Mel**-Well, apparently it was just a dream, so it doesn't matter, I guess.

**Jim**- You don't seem to believe that.

**Mel**- Well I don't.

Jims watch starts to beep, he turns it off.

**Mel**- Oh! You're late for work, go go! Ill be fine!

**Jim**- Are you sure?

Melinda nods. Jim starts to leave

**Mel**- Oh, but Jim?

He turns around

**Mel**- I'm not so sure I want to go to that wedding.

**Jim**- Are you sure?

Melinda looks down.

**Mel**- Well, no... its just

**Jim**- You think about it ok?

He walks over and kisses her on the fore-head, Melinda smiles.

**Jim**- Ill see you over at the shop later.

**Mel- **Why?

**Jim- **Hunter and Trisha are meeting us there, remember?

**Mel**- Uh, sure, just go. Love you.

**Jim**- Love you too

Jim left. After he is gone Melinda stands up to examine the house. Everything is different from in her dream, well she wasn't so sure that it was all a dream just yet. She walks into where Aiden's room was suppose to be. She can't believe its not there. She goes to the kitchen to look at the calendar. Sure enough, November 5th 2008. After she looks around some more she sits down, still confused. Then her cell phone rings. She picks it up.

**Delia**- Hey? Are you coming into work today or what?

**Mel**- Huh? Oh yeah, work! Oh my gosh! I totally forgot!

**Delia**- You forgot? We got to help Trisha and Hunter load some stuff up today for the wedding remember?

**Mel**- Uh, yeah, yeah, I just forgot. I'm a little lost this morning.

**Delia**- Oh, ok, take your time then

**Sorry its kinda short!**

**Review!!!!!**

**Ill post more later, the more reviews, the faster i will!!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. CH2 Familiar happenings

**Thanks for all the wonderful reveiws!! **

**Keep it up!  
**

**Again, I do not own ghost whisperer, and i also do not own all of the scenes in this fanfiction.**

**Enjoy!!**

*later, at the antique shop*

**Delia- **Wow, that's one crazy dream!

Delia says in amazement as Melinda tells her the rest of her long and difficult dream. It must of taken her 2 hours to tell the whole thing.

**Mel- **Yeah, only it doesn't feel like a dream, at all.

**Delia**- Really?

**Mel**- Yeah, I mean, you know how dreams tend to fade after you've been awake for a while?

Delia nods.

**Mel**- Well, this one hasn't faded at all. And everything that happened on November 4th 2008...

**Delia- **You mean yesterday…?

**Mel- **Well yeah that's just it. It doesn't feel like yesterday to me, it feels like a day that happened 6 years ago, not 24 hours. I keep feeling like there's more to this or something…

Melinda takes a sip of the coffee she has in her hands.

**Delia- **Wow, are you still going to the wedding since you feel this way?

**Mel**- I don't know, I want to know if Hunter is lying to Trisha, but how can I know if I don't go? And I can't let Trisha marry him if he is! But then again, I don't want Jim to get shot, not again.

She takes a deep breath and shudders.

**Delia**- So, do you think it's a vision or something?

Melinda shakes her head.

**Mel- **Its not like any vision I've ever had.

**Delia**- What about a physic vision? Like you saw the future?

Melinda remembers how whenever people asked her if she was physic she'd say "No, physics can see the future, I see the dead, I got my hands full the way it is."

**Mel**- I really hope not.

Jim walks in the door. Melinda glances up and then looks back down.

**Jim**- Hey, Delia. Melinda, how are you doing?

**Delia**- She's still just a little shaken up from her dream.

Jim walks over to Melinda and hugs her.

**Jim**- Hey, listen to me, its all right, ok? It was just a dream, nothing bad is going to happen.

**Mel**- Jim? Since when have my dreams ever been, "just dreams"?

Jim nods, understanding. He sits down.

**Jim**- Hunter, Trisha, and Natalie are going to be here soon. Do you want to go up to the lake house with them or not?

Melinda shuffles uncomfortably.

**Mel**- I really want to go, just to see if this ghost is really there, and if Hunter really is not who he says he is but, I'm nervous.

**Jim**- The choice is yours.

**Mel**- Well… I guess Ill go. But the slightest sign of anything familiar and we're gone.

**Jim**- Got it, you let me know.

Soon, Trisha, Hunter, and Natalie show up.

During the first few minutes Melinda stands in the back round, not saying anything, just sort of unsure about everything. She wants to help Jim carry some boxes out from the back, but she wasn't feeling up to it. On top of all her worry, she also feels like she hasn't gotten any sleep for a week. She keeps her eyes on Hunter, still not sure about him. Not to mention that Natalie didn't seem to like him very much.

**Natalie- **Mommy? How much longer?

Natalie walks over to her mom. The adults have been visiting for a while now, and she was getting bored of all the grown-up talk.

**Trisha**- Just a few more things and we're off to the lake house. And guess what? Jim and Melinda are going to stay with us all through the wedding.

She turned out, to announce something to everybody.

**Trisha**- Wait until to you guys see Natalie's dress!

**Hunter**- Ah! She looks like a princess!

Natalie turns to Hunter with a bitter look on her face.

**Natalie**- A ballerina.

She correctes him harshly. Melinda wonders, if Natalie didn't like Hunter, why didn't she realize it before? Hunter bends down so he's Natalie's height.

**Hunter**- A beautiful ballerina.

She gives him a cold look and walks away, toward her mom. Melinda felt like she should say something, just so she dosen't look awkward.

**Mel**- Um, are you sure you're ok with everything? Place settings? Furniture?

Earlier, Delia reminded her that they had set up a lot of the decorations for the wedding and that's why Trisha and them had stopped by.

**Delia**- Because furnishing events is kind of new to us and we just want to get it right.

Trisha comes over and leans on the counter in front of Melinda and Delia.

**Trisha**- Please you guys! I love everything! I'm not even worried about it.

**Hunter**- Well then, why don't you let us take care of the rest? Yeah go get some frozen yogurt with Nat and when you get back we'll be all packed up and ready to go. Right?

Trisha sighs.

**Trisha**- Did I tell you about this guy?

She leans over and kisses him.

**Jim- **Yeah you did!

**Trisha**- Thanks honey I love you.

**Hunter**- You too.

Jim holds the door open for Natalie and Trisha.

**Jim**- See you Trish.

**Trish**- Bye.

**Hunter**- Bye!

Jim watches out the window after them. After they are out of sight he turns around and gives Melinda, Delia, and Hunter an 'all clear' wave.

**Jim**- Gone!

Delia turns around and pulls out a little wooden box with a design stitched onto the top. Melinda tries to remember what it was and why it was a surprise to Trisha.. Delia shows the box off to Hunter.

**Delia**- Its got new satin lining, and restitched embroidery.

**Hunter**- Thank you it looks perfect!

Melinda recognizes the box then.

**Mel**- Ants!

Hunter looks up.

**Hunter**- Excuse me?

**Mel**- Oh nothing, never mind.

**Hunter**- Well, ok, do you think she'll like it? Do you think she'll like the necklace?

Hunter pulls it out of the box, letting the light shine off of it.

**Delia**- She's going to love it! I want it! Can I have it?

Delia giggles and glances at Melinda to see what she thinks. But Melinda's just has a concerned look on her face.

**Hunter**- Well, I'll see you guys in a couple.

Jim and Delia nod. Delia grabs a box on the counter.

**Delia**- Here, let me bring this out for you.

**Hunter**- Yeah, you got it?

**Delia**- Yep.

**Hunter**- See you guys

**Jim**-Bye!

They walk out the door.

Jim turns to Melinda.

**Jim**- All right your bags are in the car…

He stops when he sees the look on Melinda's face.

**Jim**- What? What is it?

**Mel**- That box, the box, it was in my dream.

**Jim**- Ok, well Hunter showed it to you yesterday so maybe…

**Mel**- In my dream, when Trisha went to open it, a million little red ants came out. Oh I remember! It was a game the ghost played! At the end of the game, the first letter of each hidden item spelled out a word. The word, uh, the word was liar! Yeah! It was Liar. The ants were the _a _in liar, um _L_ was_, L _was like, I can't remember something to do with water, the _I_ was ice or something like that, the _a_ was ants and the _r_ was, ugh I can't remember….

**Jim**- Do you feel to uncomfortable? Do you still want to go?

Melinda sighs.

**Mel**- Yeah, I guess, there's no concrete evidence yet anyway.

**Jim**- Ok

They both head out to the car

**Review and Ill put up more soon!!**

**Feel free to ask questions.**

**Thanks for reading!!**


	3. CH3 A Ants

**Thanks again for reading and all the wonderful reveiws!!**

**Keep reading and enjoy!!!**

*Later, at the lake-house*

Melinda, Jim, and Hunter are unloading Jim and Melinda's bags from the back of the jeep. Trisha comes running out of the house.

**Trish**- Hey guys! Let me help you with that!

**Hunter**-Hey! Where's Nat?

**Trish**- Oh, she's in my old room playing.

**Hunter**- Old room playing?

**Trish**- Yeah, don't worry, she's ok.

**Hunter**- Well yeah, I mean the house has been locked down and closed for a few months now. It might be rustic to you but I think it's a little rickety.

Trisha shrugs it off.

**Trish**- She'll be fine. Why do you want to know where she is?

**Hunter-** I just wanted to make sure she's ok.

**Trish- **Well, you can go check on her if you'd like.

**Hunter- **I'll help unload this stuff first.

Everyone unloads their stuff and then Melinda, Jim and Trisha head to the kitchen to unpack food while Hunter goes to check on Natalie. A couple minutes later he comes walking in the kitchen

**Hunter**-Hey, hey sweety? You said that Nat was in your old room right?

He asks Trisha

**Trish**- Yeah, isn't she?

**Hunter**- No, no, I mean, I checked all the bedrooms, but there's so many stair ways and...

Hunter and Trisha call for her, no answer.

**Jim**- Trish? Check around the grounds?

Jim says, heading out the door.

**Trish**- The creek, please.

Hunter and Trisha continue to call out Natalie's name. Melinda wonders where Natalie could be, she tries to remember, but comes up dry. She wonders if Natalie's already met that ghost that she slightly remembers being here. She decides to follow Trisha and help her on the search. Trisha and Melinda head down a hallway.

**Trish**- Nat honey?

**Mel**- Natalie?

**Trish**- Come out come out wherever you are!

Trisha opens a door and checks inside, but Melinda already can hear Natalie talking to someone in a closet across the hall.

**Mel**- Hey, listen.

**Trish**- Its Natalie.

Trisha opens the closet door to find Natalie sitting in a pile of stacked up chairs and side tables in storage.

**Trish**- Honey? Didn't you hear me calling you?

**Nat**- Shhh, we're suppose to whisper.

She says smiling.

Melinda looks around, and doesn't see anyone, living or dead.

**Mel**- Natalie who are you talking too?

**Trish- **Come on honey.

Trisha takes her daughters hand and stands her up.

**Trish**- There's no one in here. Lets go. You scared Mommy!

Trisha leads Natalie back down the hallway to the living room.

**Nat**- Mommy there was someone in there! You scared him away! He wanted me to find something.

Hunter and Jim come running in the door from outside.

**Hunter**- Oh, there she is!

He says in relief

**Hunter**- Hey kido!

Natalie pulls a wooden box out from behind her back, the same one they had back at the antique store. Hunter eyes it in Natalie's hand. He bends down to talk to her.

**Hunter**- Uh, Natalie, how did you get that?

He says pointing to it.

**Nat**- He wants Mommy to have it.

She looks up at her Mom.

**Hunter**- Who sweetheart? Who are you talking about? This is from me!

Hunter sighs and looks up at Trisha.

**Hunter**- This was, this was suppose to be a surprise.

Melinda remembers the scene from her dream, Trisha opening the box and a thousand little red ants came poring out, making her scream. Melinda wants to stop her from opening it, but she wants more to see if what happens in her dream happens again. Hunter takes the box from Natalie and hands it to Trisha.

**Hunter**- So, uh, surprise. Its ok you can open it

**Trisha**- Thanks honey.

He looks down at Natalie and Trisha tickles her chin.

**Hunter**- Its ok.

Melinda wants to close her eyes, but she has to watch. Like when you know something is about to jump out at you during a horror movie. You know its going to happen, but it still scares you out of your skin when it does. Trisha smiles and undoes the lock holding it shut. Natalie is the first to see the ants poring out of the box, she jumps back and screams. Soon Trisha notices them and starts to feel them crawl all over her hands. She screams and drops the box. Hunter screams too.

**Hunter**- Natalie! Natalie! What? What did you do?!

Natalie looks at Hunter and her mom with a desperate looks on her face.

**Nat**- It wasn't me!!

**Trish**- Oh! Get it off of me! Get it off!

Jim kicks into paramedic mode and runs to comfort Trisha while Hunter goes to get a paper towel to wipe the ants off of Trisha's hands. Melinda just freezes in place, scared, because she knows she's seen this before. But, she sees how frightened Natalie looks and goes over to comfort her, although she isn't feeling much better herself. While Hunter quickly wipes the ants off of Trisha's hands, Jim looks up at Melinda.

**Jim**- Ants.

Melinda nods.

**Nat**- He's been waiting for us! He says he never wants us to leave!

*Later that night*

Melinda is sitting on the bed while Jim is unpacking some clothes and putting them in the closet.

**Jim**- So, the ants...

Melinda has been avoiding it all night, she really doesn't want to talk about it, but she knows she has to sooner or later.

**Mel**- Yeah.

**Jim**- Just like in your dream?

**Mel**- Is it safe to say that is wasn't a dream yet?

**Jim**- I don't know, I just think you're overreacting , I don't think things are as bad as you saw in your dream, or whatever it was.

**Mel**- You're just saying that to make me feel better.

**Jim**- So what? Is it working?

Melinda looks down and shakes her head.

Jim stops unpacking and sits next to Melinda and hugs her.

**Jim**- What about that ghost? Have you seen him yet?

**Mel**- No, but I heard Natalie whispering to someone.

**Jim**- Yeah, her imaginary friend.

**Mel**- Yeah, well the friend was whispering back.

**Jim**- Oh. Well, do you think it's the same ghost from your dream?

**Mel**- I don't know yet. I hope not, things are too creepy already.

Tears well up in Melinda's eyes

**Mel**- I just don't think I can lose you again.

**Jim**- Hey, hey its ok.

Jim kisses her on the forehead.

**Mel**- I don't know, maybe we should just go right now.

**Jim**- Do you want to?

Melinda hates making the decision.

**Mel**- Well, I want to find the ghost and help him out, I want to help Trish out too, but I don't feel comfortable staying.

It's silent for a second while Melinda thinks.

**Mel**- Maybe we should just stay one more night, just to see if the ghost from my dream is the one here, and maybe I can help him without stirring things up.

Jim nods.

**Jim**- Here's an idea, why don't you tell me the rest of your dream, I'll know the warning signs and steer clear of whatever happened to me in your dream. So tell me, from the very beginning.

Melinda takes a deep breath.

Mel- Ok, we went to the lake-house...

**Thanks for reading!**

**Let me know if you have any questions or anything**

**Ill have more up soon!**


	4. CH4 I Icepick

**Thanks for reading everyone!!**

**Keep reading and enjoy!**

*The next morning*

The first thought Melinda has in the morning is that the wedding is tomorrow. She has to find that ghost and get out of here before tomorrow, she just has too. After she got dressed she walked out into the hallway. She figures she must of woken up late because everyone was already up and talking in the living room. Despite her oversleeping, she still felt like she hadn't gotten any sleep for at least a week. Trisha, her mom, Jim, Hunter, and someone Melinda didn't quite recognize were all sitting around and talking.

**Trish**- Hey Melinda! Meet another guest, Christopher Merry, an old friend of Hunters.

Melinda walks up to him and shakes his hand.

**Mel**- Hi, nice to meet you.

But she wasn't. She remembers him then, almost immediately. He was no better a person then Hunter.

**Chris**- Nice to meet you.

**Trish**- And you know my mom of course, Margaret.

**Chris**- Yeah, you know she rescued me on one of her morning walks.

Trisha laughs, Hunter smiles.

**Chris**- Huh, you know, its not that easy to find this place.

**Hunter**- Well, we are obviously glad you did. So uh, why don't we get you settled.

Hunter walks over to the couch where Christopher's bags are.

**Chris**- Sure.

Chris leans over and takes something from his bag, a little rectangular box.

**Chris**- Oh yeah, this is a little something for the groom.

**Margaret**- Isn't that thoughtful!

Hunter sets down Chris's suitcase and takes the box.

Melinda then spots Natalie heading out the door. Melinda stands up and starts to follow her, walking toward the door.

T**rish**- Melinda?

**Mel**- Yeah, well I'm sorry, I'm going to go out for a run now, so I'll see you guys later.

She waves and leaves. She feels bad about cutting the conversation short, but she wants to see if Natalie was talking to that ghost. She walks out the door and follows Natalie down a hill that leads to a small creek, all covered in underbrush.

**Mel**- Natalie? Natalie!

She runs a little closer to her.

**Mel**- Hey, pretty down here huh?

Natalie is sitting by the creek messing with something on the ground. Melinda jogs next to her.

**Mel**- You know, they had a stream like this where I grew up too.

Natalie doesn't even bother to look up.

**Mel**- Did your friend bring you out here?

Natalie responds now, looking up and shaking her head fast.

**Mel**- Its ok, if he did, I know that most grown-ups don't believe in imaginary friends, but I do.

Natalie still doesn't say anything.

**Mel**- Is he here with you right now?

Melinda hoped with all her might that she would say yes.

Natalie turns around then...

**Nat**- He doesn't like to be around people because he's really sick.

**Mel**- Oh.

Melinda nods, trying her best to remember the ghost.

A little boy, if she remembers right, what did he have, something wrong with his legs? She didn't remember much else though. After all the ghosts she's met, its hard to.

**Mel**- Ok, well that's hard, do you know his name, Natalie? Or anything else?

She wanted to get a jump start on this whole ghost thing.

**Nat**- I don't want to talk about this anymore.

She said fast.

**Mel**- Ok, I'm sorry. Do you mind if I talk to him?

**Nat**- No! I don't want you to and neither does he.

**Mel**- Why not?

**Nat**- Cause he's mad, he's really mad

Natalie stands up and runs up the hill, leaving Melinda alone. Melinda looks around for him, and then heads up the hill herself.

*That night during the rehearsal dinner*

Trisha is walking out of the lake house in her pretty dress, her finger wrapped in a bandage. She runs into Melinda.

**Mel**- Hey! Where have you been? We've been waiting to start the rehearsal dinner until you got here!

**Trish**- Oh, Natalie wanted to show me something.

**Mel**- Really? What?

Trisha holds up her finger.

**Mel**- Oh! What happened?

**Trish**- An ice pick! Someone put it in the linen drawer and Natalie wanted me to look inside, I don't know, its some sort of game she's playing.

**Mel- **Ice pick! That was the I!

**Trish**- Excuse me?

**Mel**- Nothing. Where is Natalie?

**Trish**- She's up in my room, coloring or something.

**Mel**- Ok.

Melinda heads into the lake house and makes here way to Trisha's room. She stands in the door-way.

**Mel**- Natalie?

Natalie is sitting on the floor coloring a picture and using the bed as something hard to color on.

**Mel**- Can I come in?

Natalie does a small nod and Melinda walks over to her and sits next her on the floor.

**Mel**- I heard about what happened to your mom, that must of been really scary.

Natalie sniffs, and Melinda can tell that she has been crying.

**Nat**- I don't know why he's being so mean to her.

Natalie turns to Melinda with a red face. Melinda moves her hair away from her face for her, trying to make her feel better.

**Mel**- What are you drawing?

**Nat**- Its me and Mommy catching butterflies..

Natalie turned over a picture that she isn't working on.

Melinda smiles.

**Mel**- Its lovely.

Then Melinda's attention turns to the picture that Natalie had turned over. She picks it up and notices several similar ones underneath it.

**Mel**- What are the other ones?

Natalie answers real quietly

**Nat**- That's Owen

Melinda look up, she remembers Owen now, the ghost that is here. The little boy in a red shirt and blue jeans, with leg braces. He had drowned in the creek, right?

**Mel**- Owen, is that your friend?

Natalie nods.

Melinda looks at the pictures some more. She could picture the ghost almost clearly now. There was just one thing that Melinda was wondering

**Mel**- Well, why does he look so sad?

**Nat**- Because he says something very bad is going to happen.

**Reveiw! thanks!**

**Special thanks to the twins for helping me check this chapter!**


	5. CH5 Trying to get through

**Hey, sorry I haven't updated in a while!!!**

**Like I aways say...**

**Enjoy!!!**

**Nat**- Because he says something very bad is going to happen.

Melinda stands up slowly, tears already welling up in her eyes. She's unable to finish her conversation with Natalie. She ran out into the hall, but Natalie doesn't seem to notice.

**Mel**- Jim? Jim? Where are you?

She stumbles into their room where Jim is and runs over to him.

**Mel**- We have to go.

**Jim**- Why? What happened?

**Mel**- We have to go!

Jim grabs her and hugs her, trying to clam her down.

**Jim- **Mel, what happened?

Tears stream down Melinda's cheeks

**Mel**- Its all too weird, we have to go.

**Jim- **What? Did you see the ghost?

**Mel- **No, but he's here.

**Jim**- I thought you wanted to help him.

**Mel**- I do, but...

Melinda sits down, she has no idea what to do. Jim sits besides her.

**Mel**- He said something, I remember it from my dream, it didn't scare me then, but now, I know what's going to happen.

**Jim**- What did he say?

Melinda pauses before answering.

**Mel- **"Something very bad is going to happen,"

**Jim**- You think this is about me?

Melinda nods and more tears come.

**Jim- **Hey...

Jim hugs her, Melinda clings to him.

**Mel- **I can't lose you.

Melinda says, almost in a whisper.

Jim kisses her on the forehead.

**Jim**- Hey, I'm not going anywhere, ok?

**Mel- **There's more too. Trisha found the icepick. The _I_, in Liar. It all leads to the wedding being canceled, Hunter ending up here, drunk, and you...

Melinda can't finish the sentence, she doesn't have to.

**Mel- **What's tomorrow?

She says, almost too quiet to hear. She knew the answer, but she didn't want to face it.

**Jim**- November 7th.

Melinda winces, the day Jim died in her dream.

**Jim**- Listen, I think we should let this play out, and when we leave, we _leave_. You told me what happens I know how to avoid it now, and I won't come back for anything. Don't worry, I promise.

*That night*

Melinda wakes up in the middle of the night after a dream that she can't quite remember…

She slowly looks over at Jim, and wonders if she'll ever wake up in the same bed with him again. Planning for the worst, she starts to think. If Jim did die, would she tell him about him jumping into Sam's body in her dream? And if she did would she tell him not to, or to go ahead and do it. She can't decide. She tells herself she doesn't have to because she was going to stop Jim from ever dying in the first place. It's never to late

She can't fall back asleep for the rest of the night.

*The next day*

Melinda shows Trisha the pictures Natalie drew the next day. If she remembers right, Trisha knew Owen when she was little.

Trisha is sitting on the couch, looking puzzled at one of the drawings. Melinda hands her the rest of them.

**Trish**- I don't mean to be dense, but, uh I don't understand why you're asking me, why would I know this boy, he's not even real?

Melinda exchanges a look with Jim, who is sitting across the room next to Natalie on the couch. Trisha's mom is listening in on the conversation while walking around the room and tidying some stuff up.

**Mel- **Sometimes kids will model imaginary friends after a real person, or a person they've heard other people talk about.

**Jim**- So, could you have ever mentioned a boy like this to Natalie?

**Trish**- I've never seen this boy before or talked about him to Natalie.

Trisha gets up and sits next to Natalie.

**Trish**- But I gotta say I'm really proud of you honey, I mean, my gosh, look at how creative you are!

**Nat**- Owen's real.

**Trish**- Of course, in your mind, of course he is.

**Nat**- Mommy, I didn't make him up.

**Trish**- Well, lets take a look at these pictures, uh someone decided to give him a red shirt, and blue pants and…

**Nat**- But I didn't draw those.

Natalie pulled a long piece of paper out from the bottom of the pile.

**Nat- **I just drew this one.

**Jim**- Wait, that one's in marker.

He says pointing to Nattily's picture and then to the others

**Jim**- And those are in crayon.

**Nat**- We don't have any crayons here.

**Margaret**- I know those drawings, don't you?

She comes up behind Trisha and points at them.

**Trish**- Why would I mom?

Margaret shrugs.

**Margaret**- You drew them.

**Trish**- What?

**Margaret**- There was a game you played that summer, a strange little game.

**Trish**- With these drawings?

Margaret comes and sits on the arm of the couch next to Trisha.

**Margaret**- With your made up friend.

Trisha looks up surprised.

**Trish**- My made up friend?

**Mel**- What was the game?

Melinda knew it was the one from her dream, she just knew it.

**Margaret- **Well, it was sorta a word game with a treasure hunt mixed in.

Jim looks at Melinda and Melinda nods, the same game she was telling him about earlier.

**Margaret**- You'd hide objects around and they spelled out words somehow.

**Trish**- I seem to remember this, but it's a game that… you showed me mom, you showed me how to play. You took the first letter of each hidden thing and put it together right?

**Margaret- **No sweetheart, I remember distinctly, I used to think, "Goodness, my Trisha's working awfully hard for me to believe.

Natalie smiled.

**Nat- **Owen did it!

She looks happily around the room.

**Nat- **He hid the clues! He still does!

**Trish**- Oh, Nat honey look…

Melinda was getting frustrated, Trisha still is not getting it.

**Mel- **You know what Trisha, why don't you and I go take a walk?

**Please reveiw!!!!**

**Thanks for reading!!**


	6. CH6 L Leaches

**Thanks you guys for all the reviews!!**

**Its because of those that I'm updating earlier then I usually do...**

**well a little bit earlier**

**Keep it up!**

**I love to know what you think!**

**So heres some more**

**and...**

**enjoy!!!**

Melinda and Trisha are walking down a path in the woods.

**Mel**- Do you remember having an imaginary friend when you were little, Trisha?

**Trish**- Uh, well, I don't really know, I mean, I'm sure I did, just about everyone does, right?

**Mel**- So you don't remember?

Trisha shakes her head.

**Trish**- Not exactly. So do you think maybe Natalie saw the drawing I drew of my imaginary friend and based hers off of that? That makes sense, doesn't it?

**Mel**- It makes sense but I don't think it's the right answer.

**Trish**- Well, then what do you think?

**Mel**- Trisha, do you believe in ghosts?

Trisha gives Melinda an odd look.

**Trish**- Uh, sure, why not.

That is a huge relief to Melinda. It always makes things so much easier when they believe in ghosts in the first place.

**Mel**- Because I think Owen is a ghost.

**Trish**- A… ghost…

Melinda nods.

**Mel**- It would explain why both you and Natalie had him as your imaginary friend. Little kids can see ghosts, but usually forget about them when they grow up.

**Trish**- Uh, ok.

Trisha's face says she doesn't believe a word Melinda is saying.

**Trish**- And how do you plan to back-up this theory?

**Mel**- Uh, well, I can talk to ghosts.

At this Trisha stops walking completely. Melinda stops too, a little bit ahead of Trisha. She was used to all sorts of different reactions when she told people, at least Trisha wasn't locking her out of her house like some people did. Trisha starts walking again, indicating that she wants Melinda to continue.

**Mel**- You saw and played with Owen when you were little and since he never crossed over, Natalie can see him too.

**Trish**- Am I suppose to believe that I just conveniently forgot all this? That I used to see ghosts including a boy ghost that I used to play with?

**Mel**- All children believe in stuff that they stop believing in as adults. Memories fade and people have no room for it next to their logic and reason.

**Trish**- But you do.

**Mel**-Well, I don't have a choice.

They had come to a clearing now, right by the creek, where Melinda had found Natalie earlier.

**Trish**- Ok, lets say this Owen is real, what now?

**Mel**- We have to find out what he wants from you.

**Trish**- Other then wrecking my wedding.

**Mel**- We're ok in one way, at least he wants to talk to you. Now we just have to get him to cut to the chase, which is why I brought you here.

**Trish**- Here.

Trisha says looking around

**Trish- **Is his voice in the babbling brook, does he use a tree phone?

There is a pause.

**Mel- **I remember my wedding day too, I was also a little on edge.

Trisha sighs.

**Trish**- I'm sorry, I'm doing the best I can, its just I'm so stressed out and…

Melinda hears a rustle in the leaves, she interrupts Trisha.

**Mel**- He's here.

**Trish**- Where?

Melinda can hear more rustling, and the squeaking of leg braces, she turns around.

**Mel**- He's a little shy, so he doesn't like to stay in... one place.

She turns around again and is greeted by Owen, a little boy with curly brown hair, and a red shirt. Leg braces were wrapped around his blue jeans.

**Mel**- Owen. Hi, I'm Melinda, you have no idea how happy I am that I finally found you!

Melinda is smiling, but Owen just gives her a cold look.

**Mel- **Look, I came here to tell you that, Trisha, she is not having fun playing your game.

Owen disappears and reappears next to Trisha, Melinda whirls around.

**Owen**- She's not suppose to.

**Trish**- Are you talking to him right now?

**Mel- **Whatever it is you want her to know just tell her.

**Owen**- No!

**Mel**- Ok, you don't understand, she doesn't have time to play your games because she's getting married today.

**Trish**- Ok, since you two can talk to each other why doesn't he just play the game with you?

**Owen**- NO!

Owen screams, sending a pile of leafs flying up into the air right in front of Trisha, making her gasp.

**Trish**- What was that?

**Owen**- She has to play, tell her that if she doesn't she'll be sorry.

**Mel**- He says…

**Owen- **TELL HER!

**Mel**- He's says you have to play, you're the only one.

**Trish- **You know what? I know your trying to help but I walk down the aisle in 6 hours, and uh this, this is just to much me. Ill see you back at the lodge.

Trisha climbs up the hill and starts her way back to the lodge. Owen gives Melinda a cold look and disappears too.

*Later that day*

Melinda is sitting at her lap-top, searching for something on the internet. Jim comes walking up behind her.

**Jim**- Any luck?

**Mel**- No.

Melinda sighs and closes her lap-top. She had been searching for information on Owen. How, when, or where he died, family, where he lived, but after searching for about 20 minutes, had she had given up. She didn't see how it was going to help her anyway, and besides, she couldn't concentrate. She sits in silence for a couple minutes.

**Mel**- I wish Owen would just tell Trisha about Hunter and convince her so we could leave already.

Jim sits next to her.

**Jim**- How did he tell her in your dream?

Melinda shrugs.

**Mel- **A bunch of clues, I don't really remember any of them.

**Jim**- Have you tried to tell Trisha about Hunter yourself?

**Mel**- I doubt she'll believe me when my reason to how I know is "I saw it in a dream".

Jim shrugs.

**Jim**- I think its worth a shot.

**Mel**- Yeah, I guess your right.

Melinda doesn't even want to stand up. She still feels like she hasn't gotten any sleep for a couple days, and she is exhausted. She wanted to crawl back into bed, but she knows that's not an option. Melinda stands up to go and find Trisha when she runs into Hunter.

**Mel**- Hey, Hunter, do you know where Trisha is?

**Hunter**- Uh, no I was actually just going to ask you the same thing. She's suppose to be up here for some pictures.

Margaret comes walking in the room with a bouquet of flowers.

**Margaret **- Oh, she's upstairs obsessing over the seating chart.

**Hunter**- I'm going to drag Trish down.

**Mel**- Will you bring her down here? I need to talk to her for a second.

Hunter leaves and comes back a few minutes later with no Trisha.

**Hunter**- Well, she's not in her room.

He sighs and looks at his watch.

**Hunter**- I'm sure she'll be here any second, it's just…

**Mel**- Well, we can both help you look.

Melinda, Jim, and Hunter are about to start searching the house for her when they hear an ear-piercing scream.

**Mel**- Was that Trisha?

Everyone heads toward where the screaming is coming from, the basement. Hunter jumps down the stairs, Jim and Melinda follow. Trisha is standing in the corner of the basement. She's crying and trying to pick something off of her face.

**Hunter**- Trisha?

Hunter runs over to her and grabs her shoulders, trying to calm her down. She is still crying. When Hunter brings her into the light, all of them can see what is wrong. About five or six long things were stuck to her face.

**Mel**- Are those leaches?

**Jim**- Where in the world did those come from?

**Hunter**- Come on, lets just get them off.

Hunter starts to pick off the leaches. Trisha is screaming and panicking

**Hunter**- Hey, Trisha, honey, its ok, we're getting them off, calm down. Ugh, will someone go get something that I can put these in?

Melinda goes and finds a jar and fills it with water. She brings it to Hunter. Hunter plucks off a few more and sets them in the jar. Trisha sobs.

**Hunter**- Breathe, breathe, baby just breathe.

**Trish- **Ah! Just get them off! Just get it off!!

**Hunter**- Breathe, baby listen to me, I got it off its ok, that's the last one, that's the last one.

Trisha sobs.

**Trish**- Why? Why is he doing this , I just want this to end!

**Mel**- Well, it's got to be a message, we just gotta figure out what it is...

Hunter turns to Melinda.

**Hunter**- No! No, we don't ok. Just save it.

He turns to Trisha, who is still struggling to catch her breath.

**Hunter**- Can't you see she's been through enough?

He continues to wipe off Trisha's face.

**Hunte**r- Look, I know you guys are trying to help and you're old friends and I appreciate it ,but I think the last thing Trisha wants to hear about right now is ghosts. OK? So please.

Hunter kisses Trisha forehead.

**Hunter**- Lets face it, we all have the same thing on our minds, even Nat , and I'm sure I would miss Jeremy too if I knew him, but I don't, so...

Melinda sighs.

**Mel**- We get it, ok? Just take care of you're fiance.

Melinda and Jim walk up stairs. This is not going how Melinda had hoped it would.

**Review!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. CH7 R Rope

**Thanks for reading everyone!**

**Sorry its been a while since I've updated**

**Ive been really busy!**

**Keep reading and enjoying and don't forget to tell me what you think when youre done!!**

Melinda and Jim walk up stairs. This is not going how Melinda had hoped it would. They walk up to the living room, where they sit down on the couch.

**Jim**- L- leaches, I- icepick, A- ants.... and R?

**Mel**- I don't remember.

**Jim**- But everything else is like it was in your dream.

Melinda nods.

**Jim**- Are you going to try and talk to Trisha again?

**Mel- **Yeah, I will later, when she's cooled down a bit. And Hunter isn't around.

**Jim**- So you talked to that ghost?

**Mel**- Yeah, Owen.

**Jim**- What did he say?

**Mel**- Not much, except for that he wanted Trisha to keep playing the game.

**Jim**- So he can point out that Hunter isn't Hunter.

**Mel**- Yeah.

They sit there for a while, and Melinda opens up her laptop again, which was waiting for her on the coffee table in front of her.

**Mel**- I think right now I just need to talk to Owen. Maybe if I can find out what happened to him, I can talk to him about it, then maybe he'll talk to me about Trisha.

Jim nods.

**Jim**- Do you remember what disease he had?

**Mel**- No, but he didn't die of the disease, he drowned in the creek here on the property. What's the creek called?

She asks, starting to type away.

**Jim**- Morton creek, right?

Melinda nods. She presses enter and there is a ding on her computer.

**Mel**- Here's the site. The Owen Grace Muscular Dystrophy foundation.

Jim leans over her shoulder and takes a look at the site.

**Jim**- Hit the mission statement.

Melinda clicked on the link and started to read.

**Mel**- Morton creek is where Natalie was playing.

**Jim**- And probably Trisha too.

**Mel**- Yeah, and that's where Trisha met Owen, when he was still alive.

Melinda remembers now, not clearly but enough to know that she now had a point to bring up to Owen. He knew Trisha.

**Mel**- I'll go check by the creek.

Jim leans in and kisses Melinda on the cheek.

**Mel**- I'm going to get us out of here ok?

Jim nods, and Melinda walks out the door and down the path into the woods, where she had seen Owen before.

**Mel**- Owen?

She screams as she stumbles down the hill.

**Mel**- Owen? We need to talk!

She decides she needs to say something that will make him come out.

**Mel**- Look, I know what happened, I know you drowned here. I can help you ok? But you need to talk to me.

She spins around looking for him, and then spots him. He appears across the creek, looking as angry and as upset as he did before.

**Mel**- Trisha is done playing your game.

**Owen**- She can't be.

Owen says in a voice a little more innocent sounding then the yelling that Melinda heard from him earlier.

**Owen**- Its not over yet.

**Mel**- People don't want to play games that hurt them.

**Owen**- Hurt Trisha? I'm trying to help her!

**Mel**- With ants, ice picks and leaches?

**Owen**- She hates that stuff.

**Mel**- Exactly.

**Owen- **But that's a clue too!

**Mel**- Why don't you stop playing games and tell Trisha what you need to tell her already? Why do you have to do it with this game?

Melinda hates getting mad at spirits, she knows its never helped anything and usually make things worse, but the way Owen seemed to be procrastinating is driving her nuts.

**Mel**- How about you just tell me what you're trying to tell Trisha and I'll pass on the message, that way, nobody else has to get hurt.

_Including Jim_ she thought.

**Owen**- No, I'm not telling you, its _our_ game. She has to figure it out, not you.

Melinda sighs again. He is just impossible to work with!

**Mel**- Ok, Owen, what if I get her to keep playing?

Melinda decides this was probably the best way to go. Since Owen won't stop playing the game, she'll get Trisha to go along with it, fast, and get out of there, soon. This way she helps her friend, and leaves.

**Mel**- Then get it over with, that is my best deal. Ok?

Owen does a small nods.

**Mel- **Do you know what happened to you?

Melinda decides to change the subject. Focus on him and help for a little bit, after all the grief she's been giving him, he deserves it.

**Owen-** Yeah, I died.

**Mel- **Do you know how?

Learning Owen's back story, she guesses, will help a little too. If only it was to hear it, which she enjoyed. The stories that the ghosts tell, that sometimes happened so long ago. But to them, it was only yesterday.

Owen nods and proceeds to tell Melinda about what happened when he first met Trisha. They had met one day when Owen was trying to cross the creek to play with some friends. But they all ran away, and only Trisha came back. She tied a piece of rope to the tree which helped Owen cross the creek with his leg braces.

**Owen**- We went back to her house and played until dark. The next day I came back to see her again, but she wasn't there. But they were.

The other kids cut Owens crossing rope, but he wanted to play with Trisha so bad that he still tried to cross. He slipped half way there, and… didn't make it.

**Owen**- And I've been here waiting ever since. I knew she would come back, but I didn't know she would be in trouble.

**Mel**- How about I get her down here. You can tell me what the trouble is and I'll tell her…

**Owen- **It's a grown- up secret, she wouldn't want anyone else to know. I gave her the clues.

**Mel**- Well whatever it is you gave her, its not enough.

**Owen**- Yes it is! She just missed a few. Tell Trisha to keep playing!

And with that he disappeared, and Melinda knew he wouldn't show up again until Trisha finds and figures out all of the clues. Walking back to the cabin, Melinda thought out something. Maybe she could just tell Trisha that Hunter was lying, a good back up reason? Right, there is none. Melinda decides nothing would convince her besides the clues that Owen left behind, if they could just find them fast enough…

Melinda runs up to Trisha, who is already dressed for the wedding. She is in her room upstairs, gazing out the window at everyone who are taking their seats for the ceremony.

**Mel**- Hey, feeling any better?

**Trish**- There's no leaches clinging to my face anymore, if that's what you mean.

Melinda pauses for a second, she can see that Trisha is still a little upset, maybe a lot.

**Mel**- I talked to Owen again.

Trisha rolls her eyes. She looks at Melinda with a desperate look.

**Trish**- I really don't need any of this, right now, ok?

Melinda halfly ignores her.

**Mel**- He was talking about the clues he left behind, the leaches, the icepick.

**Trish**- _He_ left those? Great.

**Mel**- He says that he's trying to tell you something through the clues. Maybe we could figure this out if…

**Trish**- I really don't want to play this game anymore, whatever he is trying to tell me, I think I can live my life without figuring it out.

Melinda grits her teeth, and mumbles.

**Mel**- I don't know if you can.

**Trish**- What?

**Mel**- I'm not suggesting we look for more clues, but if you could just look at what we have.

**Trish**- No.

Her voice cracks, and Melinda can tell she's trying to hold back tears.

**Mel**- Trisha, I understand.

**Trish**- You know what? I don't think you do Melinda, this is my wedding day! And look what I found a few minutes ago in what would have been my wedding bed!

Trisha pulls back the sheets to reveal a rope, all tattered and torn.

**Mel**- Oh my gosh, rope! The same rope you helped Owen cross the creek with. That's the R! that's the R in Liar! Leaches, icepick, ants, and rope! It stands for Liar!

Melinda says, a little more exited that she probably should have been.

**Trish**- Yeah, that would describe the ghost for ever letting me think this was going to be over.

Trisha sits down.

**Mel**- He said that you have all the clues that you need, you just haven't figured them out yet.

**Trish**- What does that mean?

**Mel**- That we're almost there, lets just finish this, ok? Once and for all.

**Thanks for reading **

**Please reveiw and I'll have the next chapter up soon!!**


	8. CH8 LIAR

**Sorry its been so long since my last update!**

**Here it is! **

**like always- ENJOY!**

Melinda went and got Jim, and they started on their scavenger hunt, looking every place that something happened for clues that Trisha might of missed.

First stop, L, leaches.

They run down stairs and over to the place where Trisha had gone bobbing for apples.

**Mel**- See anything?

**Jim**- Nothing's written on the mirror.

Jim says, looking at the dusty mirror.

**Trish**- Earlier there was, it said "bob" and then when I asked if I should bob for apples it changed to, "good for u" It scared the heck out of me.

They look around some more. Trisha grabs a flashlight and shines it around.

**Jim**- Hey, check this out.

Trisha shines the flashlight into the pail, something sparkles off the light. Jim reaches in the pail, still filled with water and apples and pulls out to things that are lying on the bottom.

**Trish**- Yeah, I saw those in there before.

They are cufflinks silver, black around the middle and three silver letters, RGL, in the middle

**Mel**- Who do they belong to?

**Trish**- It said bob, in the mirror…I… wait, bob could mean.

**Jim**- Short for Robert, RGL.

Next stop, I, icepick.

They rushed upstairs.

**Mel**- Natalie said that Owen lead her here, maybe there's something we missed.

Trisha walks over to the dresser where she had found the icepick and shuffles around.

**Trish**- Not unless it's Hunters boxers…

She shuffles around a bit more, and then finds something.

**Trish**- Or this...

She picks up a small box and stands up. Reading the tag on the box out loud she says,

**Trish**- "A gift to the groom from your old friend Chris."

She opens it up. And examines what is inside.

**Trish**- What's this?

She pulls out an old picture.

**Trish**- Its Hunter and Christopher from 12 years ago.

Jim reaches out for the photo.

**Jim**- Trish, can I…

She hands it to him. He looks it over, then spots the names at the bottom. Robert Langwski and Christopher Murray. Not… Hunter.

**Jim**- Robert Langwski… Oh wait.

He reaches into his pockets and pulls out the cufflinks

**Jim**- RGL? Bob?

Trisha's eyes get big.

**Trish**- The liar, its Hunter!

Melinda looks up at Jim and smiles. Trisha figured it out!!

Trisha gets out anything she could find of Hunters, just to see what else he was lying about. She pulls out the check-book and finds out that Hunter had made a bunch of checks to Christopher for way more then they had agreed on. She figured that's how it was, Hunter told Christopher about his big identity change, and Christopher agreed not to tell anyone, as long as Hunter paid for it- blackmail. Jim and Melinda also went on the search for more lies. Melinda found out online that the restaurant that Hunter had said he set up with Christopher didn't even exist, and Jim called up a cop friend and found out that Hunter, or Robert for that matter, never went to the Harvard Business college either.

All of this upsets Trisha so much…

Trisha stamps angrily out to the yard past all the wedding guests already sitting down, and right up to the alter where Hunter was talking to Chris. She runs to him and pushes him.

**Trish**- Robert Langwski?!

Melinda and Jim follow her out to the yard, but stop half way. Melinda can't really hear all that Trisha is saying, but she is outraged. After a second she runs away crying, her mom trying to follow.

Melinda smiles and sighs. Jim hugs her.

**Jim**- Nice work.

Melinda grabs onto his arms.

**Mel**- Thanks, now lets get out of here!

Jim nods.

**Mel**- Will you go upstairs and pack? I'm going to go check on Owen.

**Jim**- Yep.

Melinda runs down the dirt path and to the clearing where she had talked to Owen before.

**Mel**- Owen?!

She looks around for him but doesn't see him.

**Mel**- You did it! Trisha knows the truth! The game is over! You saved her from marrying Hunter, isn't that what you wanted?

Still nothing.

**Mel**- Owen?

She shrugs and starts back up the hill, he'll be back, she remembers.

Melinda and Jim head back to the antique shop, where Delia has met up with them to help unpack. They'd been talking for a while, but suddenly, Melinda just stops.

She looks up at Jim and smiles. He's ok, he's right here, and he's not leaving. Everything that happened in her dream had been avoided. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself. She had avoided the worst.

But then, Jim's cell phone rings…

**Jim**- Clancy…OK, what's the address?

Jim's eyes get big in surprise. He looks up at Melinda.

**Jim**- Really?…. I was just there, everyone is cleared out!….

He sighed and his voice got real quiet.

**Jim**- Of course….yeah… I'll be right there….thanks.

He hangs up the phone and sighs again.

**Mel**- What? What is it?

**Jim**- There's a fire.

**Mel**- Where?

Jim sighs.

**Jim**- Trisha's lake house.

Melinda's jaw drops.

**Jim**- Its not the actual house, but the forest next to it. It could spread to the house though. Some neighbors saw the smoke and called 911. They still think the whole wedding party is there. They want reinforcements.

**Mel**- Tell them everyone is gone!!

Melinda says frantically, Jim can't go back there!

**Jim**- I did, they just want to make sure and they need me to be there.

Tears start to well up in Melinda's eyes, Jim can't go back there.

**Mel**- Jim…

**Jim**- Don't worry Mel, They just me to bring an ambulance, I won't even be close to Hunter. Don't worry.

He hugs her and rushes to the door. Melinda turns to Delia who runs over to hug her.

**Delia**- Don't worry, Mel, It'll be fine. Jim's smart enough not to get into any trouble.

Melinda nods and tries to calm down. She heads downstairs to get something or maybe just get her mind off of something, and while she down there she hears the creak of Owen's leg-braces.

**Mel**- Owen?

She looks around for him.

**Mel**- Owen?

She turns around and there he is, with an incredibly worried look on his face. Melinda's stomach does a flip flop. _Don__'__t worry, this isn__'__t about Jim_ she has to remind herself.

**Mel**- Where have you been? What's wrong?

**Owen**- I tried to fix everything for her.

**Mel- **And you did, I mean, she's safe now, Hunters gone.

Owen shakes his head, Melinda's heart skips a beat.

**Owen**- No he's not, he's still at the lodge.

**Mel**- He is?

Melinda can barely choke out.

**Mel**- Well he'll leave soon, the police and stuff have to clear out the lodge.

Owen disappears and reappears behind Melinda.

**Owen**- I think you're wrong, he's really mad and he's acting weird.

**Mel- **How?

**Owen- **I don't want anyone else to get hurt, especially not you.

Melinda races up the stairs and out the door, tears streaming down her face, she's scared to death.

**Mel**- I'm going after him!

She shouts to Delia as she races out the door and hops into her jeep. And she races off to the lake house.

**!!!!**

**Well... hope you liked that chapter**

**This is where things start to get interesting!!**

**Thanks for reading! **

**And don't forget to reveiw!**


	9. CH9 Not a Dream

**All right, heres chapter 9!**

**Please all enjoy!!**

When Jim pulls the ambulance up to the lake house he sees several people fighting the blaze. He gets out of the ambulance and runs into a friend…Carl Neely.

**Jim**- Hey buddy, what are you doing here?

**Carl**- Well, they called every fireman, paramedic, cop, and detective in and around Grandview on duty, and apparently several not on duty,

He says, motioning to Jim.

**Carl**- …to help clear out the place, only to find out that everyone is gone! If anything else happened in town right now there wouldn't be anyone to show up!

Jim chuckles and nods, then he remembers something. In Melinda's dream, Carl was the one who accidentally shot him. Jim has to do his best to avoid Carl.

**Carl**- Well, I had nothing better to do anyway. You know, ever since…

**Jim**- Uh, yeah, that's nice.

Jim walks away just about as fast as he can. He feels a little bad about leaving Carl there alone, but he was going to do his best to stay away from him.

Melinda finally pulls to the drive-way of the lake-house and is greeted by a police officer.

**Mel**- Uh, hi. My husband is helping with the fire, I just wanted to see how its going.

The police officer gives her an odd look, and appears as though he is going to say no.

**Mel- **Also… this is my friends cabin and I haven't been able to get a hold of her so do you think you could let me in?

The officer smiles.

**Officer- **Well, ma'am, I would love to, but the drive-way is pretty well blocked with fire-trucks and police cars at the moment. If you can find a way up, you're welcome to go.

Melinda nods and the officer walks away. He was right, there is no way Melinda's going to get through this mess anytime soon.

Jim opened up the back of the ambulance and was all ready for the fire-fighters to bring him the person that would never come. Jim's friend Bobby comes walking up to him. Dressed in his firefighter suit, you can tell he's been working on putting out the fire.

**Bobby- **Hey Jim! What are you doing here?

**Jim- **Oh, they called me just in case I'm needed.

Bobby nods and Jim motions to the fire.

**Jim- **So how's that going?

**Bobby- **Well, we haven't found anyone, which is good, but the fire is still not very well under control. They sent me over to check that part of the building.

He points to a section of the lake house.

**Bobby- **In case there's anyone in there, the fire is spreading and I need to get them out.

Jim nods and Bobby starts to walk over to the house when the blaze from the trees sends a tree crashing to the ground, almost crushing a couple firemen and setting dry grass and bushes on fire below. Someone calls out for Bobby.

**Firefighter**- Bobby! Get over here! We need your help!!

Bobby starts to run back toward the fire, but then he turns around.

**Bobby**- Jim! Could you go check that part of the building for me please!?

Jim takes one look at the building and shakes his head. He didn't want to go anywhere where Hunter could be.

**Jim**- I'd rather not

Bobby gives Jim a desperate look and runs away. Jim knew he had to go check in that building. But he wasn't so sure that he wanted to go anywhere. But he takes a deep breath, hopes for the best and starts toward the building. He goes through one of the doors and walks down a dark hallway.

**Jim**- Hello?

He calls out.

**Jim**- Is anybody here?

He asks, dreading an answer.

He rounds a corner and there's Hunter, sitting in a chair, beer bottle in his right hand, and a gun hidden in the shadows in his left.

Jim's heart skips a beat. Hunter takes a sip of the beer bottle.

Jim tries to stay calm, keep Hunter calm.

**Jim**- What are you doing?

**Hunter- **I'm waiting

**Jim- **Well, she's not coming back.

He says shaking his head.

**Hunter**- You know, let me ask you something Jim, you think that ghost waited his whole life to be with someone like her?

Jim takes in a deep breath.

**Jim- **You need to leave, there is a fire and its spreading so….

Hunter chuckles.

**Hunter**- His whole life… that's right I forgot he's a ghost! His whole life.

Hunter shakes his head.

**Hunter- **He's dead.

Jim steps a little closer.

**Jim- **Hunter listen, you need to leave.

Hunter then pulls his gun out of the shadows, and Jim steps back.

**Hunter- **Come to think of it, so am I.

Jim takes another deep breath, which are becoming shaky.

**Jim- **Hunter you need to leave, the fire will spread to the house and then we'll both be caught in it.

Hunter looks up with an evil smile.

**Hunter**- I've worked really hard in my life

Hunter explains, standing up and holding up the gun. Jim backs up more.

**Hunter- **And you know what? Its never been enough. So I told a lie, just a small itty bitty one. Just so I could open the door, you know? And it just got bigger and bigger.

**Jim- **Now's the time to shut it down. Give me the gun Hunter.

**Hunter- **You want this?

Hunter says shaking it.

Melinda is finally racing up the drive-way, her mind going a mile a minute. She pulls her jeep up between two police cars. All of the sudden there is a gun shot from inside the lake-house, it shatters the window and a few police men race over to that side of the house.

**Mel- **Jim's in there! With Hunter!!! And Hunters got a gun!!!!

Melinda foolishly shouts, mainly to herself.

**Man- **Over here!! Over here!!

Someone helping there shouts, Melinda doesn't really notice.

Out of the passenger seat window she can see Carl, peaking out from behind a tree, aiming his gun at the house. She can see shadows fighting for the gun behind the curtain, and Carl is aiming right at them…

Melinda's blood runs cold, and her heart skips a beat. She unbuckles and opens the car door while the car is still moving.

And she screams in an almost unrecognizable voice.

**Mel- **CARL! NO!!!

But he pulls the trigger, glass shatters and Jim stumbles to the window, he was shot… just like in her dream.

**Mel- **NO!!!! JIM!!!!!

**You probably all hate me right now. =)**

**Stick around, theres still more to come. **

**Thanks for reading and reveiw!!!!**


	10. CH10 Grief

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while!!!**

**Thanks to all my readers!!**

**Enjoy this!!**

Melinda doesn't remember much after that point as she sat in the hospital waiting room. Except for the fact that she had collapsed on her hands and knees as they drove Jim to the hospital in the ambulance. She regrets it now, not being there for her husbands last few minutes of consciousness, but what would she of said to him? "I told you so?" No, of course not. Melinda had gotten into her car, after a few minutes she started to drive to the hospital. But she had pulled over on the side of the road only a little bit out of the drive-way because she couldn't see through the tears. She remembers calling Delia, and now she's here.

Delia and her have been sitting there for what seemed like hours, it probably was, Melinda couldn't tell.

**Mel- **There's no way I could of stopped it.

She says, more to herself then anyone.

**Mel- **It was meant to happen, it just was, it was too late the moment I woke up from that dream. It was already too late.

Her voice is blank and sad. Melinda hasn't cried yet since she had gotten to the hospital, she never thought you could be so sad that you couldn't cry…

Delia puts her hand on Melinda's knee. Melinda puts hers on top of Delia's, the warmth in her hand makes things a little better. Eli comes in with a tray of assorted drinks from Village Java.

**Eli- **I didn't know what you wanted, so I got you hot chocolate, tea, and coffee.

**Mel- **You're sweet.

Delia reaches up for the drinks.

**Delia- **I'll just put it down here.

**Eli-** So, any news?

**Delia- **He was suppose to be out of surgery 40 minutes ago.

Melinda leans back against the wall behind her and sighs. A nurse walks around the corner.

**Nurse- **Mrs. Gordon?

Melinda just turns her head over, too out of energy to say anything.

**Nurse**- Jim's surgery was successful, and he's in stable condition.

Melinda just nods. The nurse leads her down a hallway, all the way talking about something or another, but Melinda doesn't hear one word that she is saying. They turn a corner and, through a window, Melinda can see Jim in the hospital gown, laying on a small bed. She walks closer, her heart skips a beat, but she still doesn't cry. How could this happen? She just can't believe it.

**Nurse**- A nurse will call you in soon.

**Mel- **Thank you.

She sat there for only a few minutes before Trisha and Natalie came up behind her. And Melinda could feel Owen not far behind. Great, the last thing she wanted to do right now was a cross over.

She doesn't remember much of what happened during it, she was only half there when it actually happened. Trisha apologized about what had happened to Jim. They talked for a while. And Owen crossed over. And he was happy. Melinda only wishes she could say the same about herself.

Melinda walks into Jim's room, sick of waiting for someone to call her in, it wouldn't matter anyway.

**Mel- **Has he woken up yet?

**Nurse- **Just once after anesthesia.

**Mel- **Do you mind if I stay until he wakes again?

The nurse nods and walks away, leaving Melinda along with Jim, and her thoughts.

She sits down next to the bed. Seeing him there, it just hurts so bad. Finally a tear rolls down her cheek. It makes her feel better and worse all at the same time.

_How could I let this happen?_ She thinks._ I was suppose to prevent it! Isn't that why I had the dream in the first place? Maybe it wasn't, maybe it was just to torture me with guilt later, like now. Maybe it wasn't a dream, maybe all this is a dream…_

Thinking about it too long made her head hurt.

_I'd do anything to him alright. To have him look me in the eyes and say that everything was ok._

_Why hadn't I stopped it? Why hadn't Jim and I just stayed home in the first place? Why had I been stupid enough, with all the signs, to just stay there? To not go home? I knew that it was going to happen!!! So why hadn't I stopped it?! _

It's an overwhelming guilt that Melinda feels, a feeling that she only felt once before, when Andrea died, and even then, Jim was there to hug her and tell her that it wasn't her fault. He wasn't here now, and there was no one to stop the pain and guilt that she feels. She is so alone…

_I hate the fact that I had the dream! My life was going just fine without it! I could of dealt with the fact that I didn't know that this would happen._

Anger starts to build up in her. At everyone. At Hunter for being a liar, at Trisha for not realizing it earlier, at Natalie for being able to see Owen, at Delia, for not letting her leave the shop to stop Jim earlier. And even Jim! For not being more worried. Melinda stops herself.

_How could I be so mad? Half of the things I'm mad about don't even make any sense. How can I get mad at people for just being who they are?_

She starts to talk out loud, mostly to Jim.

**Mel- **I don't know how I'm going to do this without you. I'm sorry we didn't just stay home to begin with. Its all my fault.

Tears fall down her face, her voice cracks.

**Mel- **Listen though, its going to be hard for you to come back to me, ok? Just stay strong, it'll happen eventually.

Melinda remembers then, Jim won't be gone forever, he comes back. Though it's a fight, a long hard fight, he comes back. She takes a slight comfort in that fact. But still wishes she could of stopped it…

She sits there for a while, thinking about her future. She has to admit, its kind of creepy knowing what's going to happen in the next six years, even if she doesn't remember a lot of it.

Melinda sighs, honestly, kind of bored. She wishes that Jim would wake up. She thinks, just for a millisecond, that maybe this time around, for whatever reason, the bullet was a little more to the right, or a little more to the left, or maybe the surgery went different and the results would end better. But she dismiss's the thought. It doesn't matter, Jim is here now, in this hospital bed, maybe dying…

Melinda is only sure of one thing. She isn't going to fall asleep. In her dream, she remembers, she fell asleep while she was waiting for Jim to wake up. When she had woken up, Jim was awake and smiling at her. Melinda had smiled back and started to talk to him, not knowing that he was actually a ghost. When she realized that, it had made the pain of finding out ten times worse, and she was not going through that again.

**Please reveiw!!**

**I'll update soon!**

**Thanks again to the twins for helping me spell check!**


	11. CH11Hope

**OK, guys becasue of the shortness of these chapters I'm adding th last two at the same time**

**Please enjoy!**

Melinda looks up at the clock and five horrible words creep into her head.

_It won't be long now._

She regrets the thought and wishes she had never had it.

It won't be long now until her husband dies, she knows it, and it's a terrible thought.

Sitting there in regret, a much more pleasant thought comes to her. A pleasant enough thought to make her lift her head from where it is resting on her hand, maybe even pleasant enough to make her smile.

It won't be long now! And how does she know this? The time! If she can just remember what time Jim dies she could warn a nurse and they could prevent it from happening. Right? Melinda decides it's worth a shot. She stands up, the thought of saving Jim is an adrenaline rush. Now she just has to remember what time Jim had died in her dream! But how in the world is she suppose to remember that? And, in Melinda's dream, that was practically 6 years ago.

_Come on Melinda!_

She tells herself.

_If you can remember so much else you can at least remember this!!!_

She thinks and thinks, searches to the back of her memory, but can't seem to come up with anything.

Hope trickles out of her and she sits back down. It is no use, she can't remember. Now the thought of saving Jim is a pit of false hope in her stomach. For a minute Melinda almost can't stand the idea of watching Jim die, and wants to leave the room. But she knows she shouldn't, and besides, she can't find the energy.

She closes her eyes and starts to drift to sleep….

* * *

Melinda's eyes shoot open.

_I fell asleep!!_

She panics. Worry passes over her and she glances at Jim. Still alive, still fine, well, somewhat. She relaxes and sits for a minute. Then, all of the sudden she stands up and smiles, smiles to the point where she giggles a little bit. And anyone looking in at her probably would of thought she was crazy.

**Mel- **11:07!

She screams, 11:07! That's what time Jim died in her dream! Melinda remembers! She remembers that in her dream she had laughed slightly in the midst of her grief that Jim had died on November 7th at 11:07! And that was it!

She glances at the clock, its 11:05. Maybe its too late. She pushes the emergency button next to Jim's bed and screams for a nurse. One comes rushing in.

**Nurse**- Yes? Is there something wrong?

Melinda then realizes that there is nothing wrong yet. What would she tell the nurse?

**Mel- **Uh, I'm just worried. Um, something's off about him. Will you please just check up on him?

The nurse gives her an odd look, but looks over Jim anyway. Checking his heart monitor, temperature, and a bunch of other stuff that Melinda isn't really sure about.

**Nurse- **Well, I don't see anything wrong.

Suddenly, Jim's heart monitor starts screaming, an eerie monotone, and a straight line appears across the screen. Things start to beep, and doctors rush in. Before Melinda knows it, they're wheeling Jim into another room.

Melinda smiles and cries. Maybe it's not ok, maybe they're not in the clear yet, but you know what? This _wasn't_ in her dream and it was officially 11:08.

* * *

Melinda is brought to a waiting room where she has somehow, fallen asleep in the uncomfortable chairs. Eli and Delia had gone home a long time ago and she was the only one in the room besides the receptionist. A nurse comes and taps Melinda to wake her up. Melinda is greeted by soft facial features and a warm smile.

**Nurse- **Hello.

Melinda sits up and moves her hair out of her face, yawning she replies.

**Mel**- Hi.

Melinda glances down at her wristwatch- 6 AM.

**Nurse**- We have some news about your husband.

Melinda looks up and is relieved to see the nurse still smiling.

**Mel- **Yes?

**Nurse- **He had an embolism, which is fatal.

Melinda sighs, that's what Jim died of in her dream…

**Nurse**- But… thanks to you, we were able to get to him into surgery and fix the problem in time.

Melinda sighs again, this time in relief.

**Mel- **Can I see him?!

The nurse smiles bigger.

**Nurse**- Of course.

She leads Melinda down a hall-way and stops at the door.

**Nurse- **His anesthesia has probably worn off now and he's just sleeping, if you would like, you can wake him up.

The nurse walks away, leaving Melinda alone. She takes a deep breath before opening the door. She opens the door. In a bed, in the middle of the room is Jim. Melinda's heart gets caught in her throat and her stomach flip-flops. She feels so many emotions but over all, an overwhelming sense of love. All she finds she can do is cry. She stumbles over to him and lays her head down on his chest. She listens to his strong heat beat. After a second, she feels a strong hand come down on her back.

Tears streaming down her cheek, she looks up into Jim's wonderful blue eyes, sparkling with life. With his other hand he wipes a tear off of Melinda's cheek and whispers

**Jim**- I told you nothing bad was going to happen.


	12. CH12 Rude awakeningsauthors note

Ok, this is the last chapter, I know, so sad. And I thought that before I got into the last little bit that occurs a few days after the end of the last chapter, I would post a little of the lyrics that helped inspire a little bit (definitely the title) for this fanfiction.

I do not own any song lyrics, or ghost whisperer for that matter, in case you forgot.

_Just a dream By Carrie Underwood_

_Baby why'd you leave me why'd you have to go?_

_I was counting on forever, now I'll never know_

_I can't even breath_

_It's like I'm looking from a distance _

_Standing in the background_

_Everybody saying_

_"He's not coming home now,"_

_This can't be happening to me_

_This is Just a Dream_

**Now enjoy the last short little chapter. This is a few days after the last chapter.**

Melinda wakes up early. The light in the room hurts her eyes, so she just decides to keep them closed. She feels next to her for Jim. He isn't there.

She whispers, still trying to find her voice so early in the morning.

**Mel**- Jim?

No Answer. She says a little louder.

**Mel**- Jim? Are you there?

Still nothing. She figures he's out of the room, so she screams.

**Mel- **Jim! You know you're suppose to be on bed rest for the rest of the week!

She takes a deep breath and stops shouting, figuring he's in the bathroom and will be back soon. She's just starting to fall back asleep when she hears a soft, small voice coming from the door-way of the bedroom.

**?**- Are you awake?

Melinda's eyes shoot open. She's not facing the door so she doesn't see who it is, but she knows the voice…

**Mel**- But that's impossible!

She sits up and turns around. Aiden is standing in the door-way. He's in his P.J.'s, looking tired, he rubs his eyes.

**Aiden**- Mommy, I had a really weird dream.

**!!!!!!!!**

**So go on!**

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